In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize and the Ibero-American Award.
film synopsis
Set in a picturesque village in a remote part of Costa Rica, this mystical feature debut elegantly captures a sheltered 40-year-old woman's coming of age, as she attempts to unshackle herself from the social and religious customs that have held her back. Exquisitely brought to life by dancer Wendy Chinchilla Araya in her screen debut, Clara is a reluctant faith healer rumored to have been visited by The Virgin years prior, with a deep connection to the nature that surrounds her. Still living with her strict Catholic mother, Clara helps her more liberated teenage niece María prepare for her quinceañera, but complications mount when Clara starts connecting with María's new boyfriend. Costa Rican-Swedish writer-director Nathalie Álvarez Mesén — whose short Filip was an award winner at Palm Springs International ShortFest 2016 — utilizes the breathtaking scenery and her cast of nonprofessional actors with striking precision as she explores sexuality, religion and liberty through three generations of women.